Vacuum packed container and dis pensing means for the contents thereof



"Nov. 13, 1951 A. E. TROUT ETAL VACUUM PACKED CONTAINER AND DISPENSING MEANS FOR. THE CONTENTS THEREOF Filed Aug. 12, 1949 I INVENTORS ALLAN E, TR U'T' l JC'TDR P UNETU EY (y AT'TURNEY Patented Nov. 13, 1951 VACUUM PACKED commmmmisla- PENSING MEANS FOR THE CONTENTS THEREOF Allan E. Trout, Fresno, and Victor P. Oneto, San Francisco, Calif.

Application August 12, 1949, Serial No. 109,972

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a specially constructed container for retaining vacuum packed products and to a novel means for dispensing the same. The invention particularly relates to an improved construction for enabling receptacles commonly called cans to be vacuum packed, which construction will enable the cans to be opened in the simplest and most expedient manner.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a completely sealed lid on the top of the said can and to provide a scored surface on the top surface of the can and around said lid which scored surface is capable of being readily broken when it is desired to remove the lid from the can.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a scored surface around said lid on the top of the can which will enable the lid to be positioned back on the can after opened.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a specially constructed pouring spout on the top surface of the can and to provide a plurality of outwardly extending projections on the side portions of the said spout, which projections are adapted to retain the spout in its vertical open position.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a specially constructed container, lid and pouring spout therefor, thatis durable, simple in construction, positive in operation, economical to manufacture and highly efficient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the description, wherein for the purpose of illustration like numerals designate like parts throughout the same.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a receptacle and the pouring spout thereon,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the receptacle taken through line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a vertical elevational end view of the pouring spout per se,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken through line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view taken through line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional view taken through the top, cover and spout disclosing the location of the scored portion relative to the spout.

Referring in detail to the drawing and the numerals thereof, the numeral 1 designates the receptacle, as a whole, comprising a bottom 8 and top 9, which top and bottom are crimped on to the circular body portion In in any conventional manner. An opening I l is formed in the said top, the said opening in the present illustration being of an oblong form of such size and shape as will accommodate a pouring spout [2, which pouring spout is adapted to be vertically positioned within the said opening and retained in the receptacle as disclosed to advantage in Figs. 2 and 5. The said pouring spout is preferably formed of two substantially vertical parallel sides l3 and I4 and a top horizontal portion 24, the said sides having upper and lower oppositely opposed projections I5 and l 6 formed at the front portions thereof as disclosed to advantage in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be readily observed that the said projections will function as a stop when the spout is lifted upwardly and will retain the said spout in a substantially vertical position for enabling the contents from within the receptacle to be poured therefrom. A suitable cover I! is provided over the opening. It will further be observed that the scored portion I8 is in proximity to the sides and ends of the said cover and also the said pouring spout as will be particularly noted in Figs. 4 and 6. The said cover I1, pouring spout l2 and top '9 of the receptacle are all welded one to the other by a conventional electric method well known in the art, designated by the numeral 26 in Fig. 5 and are thus made integral one with the other. Inasmuch as the elements are integral within the scored portion IE it will be obvious that when force is applied beneath the cover to raise the same, the scored portion on the top surface of the receptacle will become broken and the said cover I1, pouring spout l2 and broken portion of the cover will be raised as disclosed to advantage by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, the projections 15 and I6 functioning to retain the cover in its open position. When the portion surrounding the cover is broken from the top of the receptacle the said cover can readily be replaced over the opening to close the same, by exerting manual pressureon said cover to thus fit the cover into the opening l1.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the shape, size, material and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

. A device of the character described comprising a container capable of retaining vacuum packed products therein, a scored portion in the top of 3. 4 the container providing a weakened area capable REFERENCES CITED of bemg broken to form an opemng m the top The following references are of record in the of the container, a pouring spout depending from file of this patent. the top of the container within said weakened area and movable through the said opening, a 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS cover fixed to the top face of the container within Number Name Date said scored area, the said cover having a con- 2,098,763 Sebell Nov. 9, 1937 figuration conforming to the said scored portion 2,102,440 Sebell Dec. 14, 1937 and capable of fitting into and closing the said opening. 10

ALLAN E. TROUT. VICTOR P. ONETO. 

